Musk Pours $76 Million Into Midterms as Final Stretch Begins
New filings show the billionaire’s political committee deployed massive sums in Texas just days before voters head to the polls.
By Bianca Herrera ·
Elon Musk has injected another $76 million into the midterm elections, according to a report filed with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday evening. This significant financial boost was directed to his personal political committee, America PAC, during the first two weeks of October. The timing is critical, as it lands in the final stretch before voters cast their ballots. This latest tranche of funding marks the most recent major move in his substantial campaign support for Republican candidates.
The committee deployed nearly $43 million during that initial fortnight of October. Despite this heavy spending, America PAC entered the final phase of the race with approximately $47 million in cash remaining. This liquidity suggests the group is prepared to continue aggressive advertising and outreach efforts until election day. The funds are being allocated strategically to influence key contests across the country.
The Texas Senate race absorbed the largest share of this new money, attracting $15.2 million. This figure is double the amount the PAC spent in that state throughout the entire summer. The breakdown of these expenditures reveals a clear strategic focus. A total of $12.4 million was spent on advertisements attacking Democratic candidate James Talarico. Meanwhile, $2.8 million was used to promote Republican challenger Ken Paxton. Recent daily filings indicate that an additional $9.1 million has been spent against Talarico since then.
Consequently, the total amount spent against Talarico this cycle now stands at nearly $28 million. This single candidate represents about 40 percent of everything America PAC has spent supporting or opposing candidates. The committee also shifted its advertising strategy toward digital platforms. It spent $11.4 million on online ads in the two-week period, a sum comparable to its combined spending on mail and texting. This pivot to digital channels reflects the changing landscape of political advertising.
Overall, Musk has contributed more than $445 million to Republican political groups this election cycle. An analysis of Federal Election Commission filings identifies him as the largest known individual donor for these midterms. More than $165 million of his total contributions went specifically to America PAC since July. This level of personal financial involvement sets a new benchmark for individual influence in national elections. America PAC declined to comment on the new filings.
Musk has also been vocal about the Texas race on social media. On Wednesday, he posted on X that there is something deeply wrong with Talarico. He went further by calling the candidate a creep and claimed, without providing evidence, that Talarico would vote to take away voters' kids and transition them. Earlier in the month, he amplified a false claim regarding Talarico's mental health history. Talarico responded to this criticism by stating that there is something deeply wrong with a system that allows one trillionaire to buy his own personal US Senator.
Despite the heavy spending, the Texas Senate race remains statistically close. An Emerson College poll of 1,000 likely Texas voters conducted from October 17 to 19 shows Talarico leading by two points. The Democrat holds 48 percent support, while Paxton trails at 46 percent. This margin is within the poll's three-point margin of error, indicating that the race is effectively a toss-up. The intense spending is aimed at tipping this narrow balance in favor of the Republican candidate.
The outcome of these elections carries significant implications for Musk beyond the immediate political result. If Democrats gain control of the House, leaders have signaled they will investigate his role in the Department of Government Efficiency. They also plan to review federal contracts held by his companies and what California Representative Zoe Lofgren described as an astonishing number of conflicts of interest. A unified Democratic Congress would pose even greater scrutiny. Additionally, Silicon Valley Democrats have targeted SpaceX's Starshield service in Ukraine, with representatives vowing to closely scrutinize federal funding awarded to Musk's businesses in the next Congress.
